Seal hanger for floating roofs



March 12, 1957 L. H. FABIAN 2,784,863

SEAL HANGER FOR FLOATING ROOFS Filed April 26, 1954 United States Patent O 2,784,863 SEAL HAN GERFOR'FLOATING ROOFS Lawrence H. Fabian, StfJohns, Mo.assignor to Nooter Corporation, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application April 26, 1954, SerialNo. 425,629 Claims. (Cl. 220-26) This invention relateslin general to iloating roofs for liquid storageetanks and the like wherein the roof lloats ontop of the `stored liquid, and in particular, to seal hangers for saidiloatingroofsforsealing the area between the edge of the tloating roof and the seal of the tank.

One of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide an improved seal mechanism for a tank with a floating roof, said seal mechanism having a two point attachment, being easy and `quickto install, and eliminating problems in alignment.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved seal fora floatingroof.` which provides a positivef seal and adjusts-itself to accommodate varying distances between the edge of the iloating roof and the-shell ofthe tank. Another object is to providea relatively simple and economical seal mechanism `for forcing a sealing shoe operatively connected to a floating roof against the shell of a tank. Still another object is to provide a Vconstruction wherein there is little or no vertical movement of the sealing shoe as the floating roof moves horizontally thereby changing-the distances between the edge ofthe lloating roof and the shell ofthe tank.

Another object is to provide a construction wherein the resilient means-is completely submerged in the liquid stored under the oating roof thereby reducing the likelihood of corrosion, providing a cleanerdesign, and keepingthe top deck clear ofmoving parts.

These and other objects and advantages will become apparent hereinafter.

The present invention is embodied in a sealing means comprising a sealing shoe positionedu against the shell of a tank, means for holding said shoein said position, and flexible sealing means operatively connected between said shoe and a floating roof covering said tank.`

The invention also consists in the parts and in the arrangements and` combinations` of parts hereinafter described and claimed. In the accompanying drawings which form part` of this specification and wherein like numerals and symbols refer to like parts wherever they occur:

Fig. l is a vertical `cross-sectional view throughs portion of a liquid storage tank and a oating `rooftherein showing the seal mechanism which constitutes one embodiment of the present invention,

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view' taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. l, and

Fig. 3 is a vertical view of a modiiied hold down bar having elongated slots therein.

Referring now to the drawings in detail it will be seen that the embodiment of the invention which has been illustrated is shown in a liquid storage tank T having a lloating roof R and a shell 1 with a seal hanger or seal mechanism 2 having a two point attachment secured in thespace d therebetween. The floating root` R oats directly upon the stored liquidL and is necessarily of smaller` diameter than said tank to correct for any expansion or contraction due to temperature changes, or any out-of-roundness or" the tank T or floatingroof R that is Present in any large storage tank. Storage tanks of this type, generally fall within the range of thirty-five to one hundred and fifty` feet in diameter with floating roofs which are about eighteen inches smaller in diameter.

The Heating roofR comprises a bottom deck 3 with a rim 4 extending upwardlyatherefrom, and a top deckf 5.

ICC

Achannel` 6 is securedto ythe top'portion ot the rirnw4 and the top deck 5. A plurality of sealing `shoes 7 are slidably mountedagainst the shell 1 of the tank T opposite the rim 4 ofsaid iloating root` R; A ilexibl'e seal 8 connects the upper portion `910ic theshoes 7 with the upper portion of-the floating `roofR` and sealsthe` space between said shoes 7 and said floating roof R. The flexible seal S is secured tothe sealing shoesl 7 in some suitable manner' such as by a clamp 10 whichis bolted by Vbolts 11 to the top portions ofthe shoes '7 with the edge of the flexible seal 8 therebetween. The inner edge of said ilexible seal 8 is secured to the channel member 6 in some suitable manner such as by a C-clamp` 12 secured to the channel member 6, and seal clampingbar 13 with the `inner edge of the llexible seal- 8 therebetween and a force being exerted thereupon by `actuationV of handle 14 contained in andcomprising a part of said clamp 12.

Each sealing shoe 7 is provided with one ormore verticalstilenersl l5 which may be ordinary channels. A hold` down bar 16 having holes 17 therein is secured to the `upper portions of said vertical stilieners 15 in a substantially horizontal' position by` means of bolts 18 havingnuts 19 thereon. With some methods of securing the edges of theshoes 7 together, it might be necessary or desirable to provide the hold down bar 16 with laterally extending elongated slots'16a for allowing said hold down bar I16 to movelaterally shortV distances to accommodate for anyexpansion` and contraction or movement of the iloating roof R, in which case the bolt 18 should be provided' with a collar. Twoinwardly extending flanges 20 having holes'21 therein areI secured to said hold down bar l6between said'nuts 19` and said vertical stiffeners 15. The anges 20 constitute upper pivot members for theupperendsv of a pairof` substantially straight sealing "shoe hangers 22` having holes 23 in theirupper ends for receivingupper hinge` bolts` 24 'having nuts 2.5 thereon. Washers 26 are provided between the flanges 20 and the shoe `hangers 22.` The lower ends of said shoe hangers 22; are provided with elongated slots 27' which are pivotallyand slidably secured to a fixed bracket 28 secured to .said floating roof R. Asupport bar 29 having threaded ends extendsthrough said lower slots 27 and holes 30 in said bracket 28, said threaded ends receiving nuts 31. Washers 32' are provided between the nuts 31, the shoe hangers 22, andthe bracket 28 so that the lower ends of said shoe hangers 22 are free to slide and pivot with respect to said support bar 29.

The shoe hangers 22' are provided with intermediate holes 33 for pivotally receiving the upper end of second shoe hanger or L-shaped arms 34 having an inclined downwardly extending upper portion 315, a corner or elbow 36, and an inwardly extending lower portion 37. The upper portion 35 is provided with holes 38 for receiving intermediate hinge bolts 39 which extend through the hangers 22 and 34 with washers 40 therebetween and nuts 41 thereon. The upper portions 35 are inclined and extend downwardly into close but not contacting relation with the sealing shoes 7. A substantially horizontal slide rod 42 extends through said L-shaped arms 34 in the elbow 36 thereof and is adapted to slide vertically along the inner edges of saidvertical stitfeners: 15 and exert a horizontal force against said sealing shoes 7. The lower portions 37 extend downwardly and inwardly from said slide rod 42 beneath said floating roof R for a substantial distance, the lower ends 43 of'said L-shaped arms 34 being connected by a substantially horizontal cross bar 44. A coil spring 45 is secured between said cross bar 44 and said support bar 29, said spring 45- normally biasing said cross bar 44 toward said supportfbar 29so that `said seal mechanism "2 provides a radial outward force against said sealing shoes 7 by means of said hold down-bar 16 at the upperportionr9thereof `andsaidslide rod 42 attthe lower portion 46 thereof thereby sealing the space between said sealing shoe 7 and shell 1 of the tank T. The axis or line of action of the spring 45 runs longitudinally through the center of the spring 45 or the individual coils thereof and intersects the sealing shoe 7 at a point above the slide rod 42 and below the hold down bar 16.

The seal mechanism 2 can be quickly and easily assembled between the sealing shoes 7 and the floating roof R since the seal mechanism 2 is supported or suspended only at two points. The seal mechanism can be assembled in the shop and transported as a unit to the tank itself where the sealing shoes 7 and roof R are supported for receiving said seal mechanism. One man can place the holes 17 of the hold down bar 16 through the bolts 18 extending through the vertical stiifeners 15 and then thread the nuts 19 thereon thereby securing the upper ends of the straight sealing shoe hangers 22 in pivoting relation with the sealing shoe 7. The bracket 28 is then welded to the floating roof R preferably on the underface of the bottom deck 3 thereof. No problem in alignment arises since the seal mechanism is allowed to hang freely from the upper bolts 18 and then be welded in position to the floating roof.

In operation, the slide rod 42 is free to slide vertically against the vertical stileners and exerts a horizontal outward radial force against said stifeners. A lesser horizontal radial force is exerted against said stiifeners through the hold down bar 16 in the upper portion 9 of the shoe 7. The vertical stiffeners 15 distribute the outward force more uniformly over the shoe so that forces are not directed against the sealing shoe 7 at only two points.

If the distance d between the sealing shoe 7 and the floating roof R is reduced for any reason, such as a strong wind blowing the roof shown in Fig. l leftwardly, the lower end of the shoe hanger 22 moves downwardly and leftwardly so that the support bar 29 which moves horizontally leftwardly becomes closer to the top edge of the elongated lower slots 27. This causes the intermediate bolts 39 to move leftwardly and slightly downwardly and results in the crossbar 44 being moved upwardly and rightwardly thereby expanding the spring 45. The spring remesa tends to bring the crossbar 44 back into its normal relation with the support bar 29, and in so doing, causes the slide rod 42 and the hold down bar 16 to exert a greater force against the shoe 7.

The seal mechanism 2 is so designed that as the distance d between the sealing shoe 7 and the floating roof R decreases, the forces pushing the shoe 7 against the shell 1 becomes greater. As the distance d becomes greater, the forces exerted against the shoe become smaller. Thus, as the distance d increases, the distance d occupied by the seal mechanism positioned 180 therefrom (not shown) decreases and said opposing seal mechanism exerts a greater force against the tank and tends to force the oating roof R leftwardly thereby reducing the distance d, especially since the seal mechanism shown exerts a lesser force against its sealing shoe.

The seal mechanism herein described produces little or no vertical movement in the sealing shoe 7 as the floating roof R moves horizontally either away from or toward said sealing shoe. With the arrangement shown, the outward force exerted between slide rod 42 is approximately twice that exerted by the hold down bar 16.

The sealing shoes 7 may be of any suitable type and many such shoes are required to completely circumscribe said oating roof R. The sealing shoes 7 are connected along their vertical edges in a suitable manner and sufficient expansion joints are provided. In some types of shoe installations, it might become necessary to provide the hold down bar 16 with elongated slots to allow the hold down bar to move laterally slightly to compensate for any lateral expansion or contraction and to otherwise compensate for lateral movement.

The inventionv is intended to cover all changes and 4 modications of the example herein chosen for the purposes of disclosure which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

l. A seal mechanism for a oating roof tank having a oating roof and a plurality of sealing shoes surrounding said floating roof and spaced radially outwardly therefrom, said seal mechanism comprising a member having its upper portion pivotally secured to one of said sealing shoes and its lower portion pivotally secured to the lower portion of said floating roof, a second member having an upper portion pivotally secured to said first member intermediate the ends thereof, said second member being in slidable contact with said sealing shoe and having a lower portion extending beneath said oating roof, and resilient means operatively connected to the lower end portion of said second member and to means connected to and movable with the lower outer portion of said lloating roof thereby biasing said second member against said sealing shoe.

2. In a seal mechanism for a floating roof tank comprising a floating roof, a seal shoe surrounding the floating roof and radially spaced therefrom and a sealing Shoe hanger pivotally secured to the lower portion of said loating roof and pivotally secured to the upper portion of said sealing shoe, an L-shaped arm having an upper end pivotally secured to said sealing shoe hanger intermediate the ends thereof, said L-shaped arm having an elbow slidably mounted against said sealing shoe, saidl L-shaped arm having a lower portion extending downwardly and inwardly under said iloating roof, and resilient means positioned beneath said floating roof and connected between the lower end of said L-shaped member and means connected to and movable with the lower `outer portion of said floating roof thereby biasing said elbow against said sealing shoe.

3. A device for centering a roof structure that oats on the surface of a liquid in a tank and for sealing the space between the edge of the roof and the tank, said device including a sealing shoe adapted to slide along the inside surface of said tank, a hanger having its upper end pivotally secured adjacent to the upper portion of said sealing shoe and its lower end pivotally secured to the lower portion of said floating roof, an L-shaped arm having its upper end pivotally secured to said hanger -intermediate the ends thereof, said L-shaped arm having an elbow slidably mounted against the lower portion of said sealing shoe, said L-shaped arm having a lower portion extending downwardly and inwardly from elbow, and a spring secured between the lower end of said vL-shaped arm and the lower end of said hanger for biasing said elbow against said sealing shoe. l 4. A device for centering a roof structure that oats on the surface of a liquid in a tank and for sealing the space between the edge of the roof and the tank, said device including a sealing shoe adapted to slide along the Jinside surface of said tank, a pair of substantially vertical members secured to said shoe with a substantially horizontal bar mounted on the upper portions of said members, a pair of hangers having their upper ends pivotally secured to said bar and their lower ends pivotally secured to the lower portion of said iloating roof, said lower ends being connected by a support bar, a pair of L-shaped arms having their upper ends pivotally secured to said hangers intermediate the ends thereof, said L-shaped Varms having means thereon in slidable contacting relation with said substantially vertical members, said L-shaped arms having lower portions extending downwardly and inwardly and under said floating roof, the lower ends of said L-shaped arms having a crossbar therebetween, and a spring secured between said support bar connecting said hangers and said crossbar connecting said L-shaped arms for biasing said crossbar toward said support bar and for biasing said means on said L-shaped arms against said vertical members.

5. A device for centering a roof structure that oats on the surface of a liquid in a tank and for sealing the space between the edge of the roof and the tank, said device including a sealing shoe adapted to slide along the inside surface of said tank, a pair of substantially vertical stiiieners secured to said shoe, a laterally movable bar connecting the upper portions of said stifteners, a pair of hangers having their upper ends pivotally secured to said bar and their lower ends pivotally secured to the lower portion of said floating roof, said lower ends being connected by a support bar, a pair of L-shaped arms having their upper ends pivotally secured to said hangers intermediate the ends thereof, said L-shaped arms having sliding means thereon at the elbows thereof, said sliding meanscontacting said vertical stieners and being adapted to slide thereon, said L-shaped arms having lower portions extending downwardly and inwardly from said slide rod and under said oating roof, the lower ends of said L-shaped arms having a crossbar therebetween, and a spring secured between said support bar connecting said hangers and said crossbar connecting said L-shaped arms, said spring exerting a force on said arm tending to move said roof structure and said sealing shoe away from each other.

6. In a floating roof construction for tanks, a oating roof, a shoe connected to said roof for movement therewith in sliding engagement with the interior wall of the tank, means urging said shoe from said roof toward said wall, and a flexible seal connected to and between the upper portion of said shoe and said floating roof for preventing foreign matter from entering the space occupied by said means, a pair of shoe hangers pivotally secured adjacent to the `top portion of said shoe and extending downwardly and inwardly tow-ard said floating roof, the lower portions of said shoe hangers being pivotally secured to said iioating roof, a pair of L-shaped arms having their upper ends pivotally secured to said shoe hangers intermediate the ends thereof, said L-shaped arms having their upper portions extending downwardly and outwardly toward said sealing shoes and having lower portions extending inwardly and downwardly `therefrom under said floating roof, said L-shaped arms having a portion thereof positioned in sliding contact with the lower portion of said sealing shoe, and a spring positioned between said floating roof and operatively connected between the ends of the L-shaped anms and means connected to and movable with a lower outer portion of said oating roof for exerting a torce on said L-shaped arms tending to move said roof and sealing shoe away from each other and biasing said L-shaped arms against said sealing shoe.

7. In a floating roof construction for tanks, a tloating roof, a shoe connected to said roof for movement therewith in sliding engagement with the interior wall of the tank, means urging said Ishoe from said roof toward said wall, Iand a flexible seal connected to and between the upper portions of said shoe and said iioating roof for preventing foreign matter from entering the space occupied by said means, said means comprising a pair of vertical stieners secured to said shoe, a substantially horizontal laterally slidable bar mounted on the upper portions -of said stiieners, a pair of shoe hangers pivotally secured to said bar and extending downwardly and inwardly toward said oating roof, the lower portions of said shoe hangers being slidably and pivotally secured to the lower portion of said iloating roof and having a support bar therebetween, a pair of L-shaped arms having their upper ends pivotally secured to said shoe hangers intermediate the ends thereof, said L-shaped arms hav- 'ing their upper portions extending downwardly and outwardly toward said sealing shoes -and having means thereon slidable against said vertical stilfeners yand having lower portions extending inwardly and `downwardly therefrom under said iioating roof, a crossbar connecting the lower ends of said L-shaped members, and a coil spring secured between said support bar and said crossbar tending `to force said crossbar toward said support bar and biasing said means on said L-shaped arms against said stifieners.

8. In a floating roof construction for tanks, a oating roof, a shoe connected to said roof for movement therewith in sliding engagement with `the interior wall of the tank, means urging said shoe from said roof toward said wall tank, and a flexible seal connected to and between said shoe and said floating roof, said means comprising ya member having its upper portion pivotally attached adjacent to said sealing shoe and its lower portion pivotally secured to the lower portion of said lloatin'g roof, a second member swingably attached to said first member intermediate the ends thereof, said second member being in slidable contacting relation with said. `sealing shoe and extending inwardly beneath said roof, and resilient means connecting the lower ends of said members and positioned under said floating roof for forcing said. sealing shoe and said roof away from each other, said means biasing said second member against said sealing sho-e.

9. In a floating roof construction for tanks, `a floating roof, a shoe connected to said roof for movement therewith in sliding engagement with the interior wall of the tank, means urging said shoe from said roof toward said wall tank, and a flexible seal connected to and between said shoe and said floating roof, said means comprising a shoe hanger pivotally Vsecured to said shoe and extending `downwardly and inwardly `toward said floating roof, the lower portion of said shoe hanger being slidably and pivotally secured to the lower portion. of said oating roof, an L-shaped -arm having its upper end portion pivotally secured to said shoe hanger intermediate the ends thereof, said L-shaped arm having its upper portion extending downwardly and outwardly toward said sealing shoe and having means thereon in slidable contact with said sealing shoe and having a lower portion extending inwardly and `downwardly therefrom under said oating roof, and a coil spring positioned entirely under said oating roof and secured between the lower ends `of said shoe hanger and said L-shaped arm thereby biasing the lower end of the L-shaped arm toward the lower end of said shoe hanger and biasing said L-shaped arm against said sealing shoe.

10. In a liquid storage tank having a iloating roof and one or more shoes adapted to slidably contact the inner side walls of the tank, means for supporting the shoes against the side walls including a shoe hanger swingably attached to the root:` and extending upwardly in the space between the roof and the tank from the point of attachment to the roof to adjacent the upper portion of said shoe, a member having an upper portion pivotally attached to said shoe hanger intermediate the ends thereof above the point of connection of shoe hanger to the roof, said member extending downwardly from said shoe hanger and outwardly toward said shoe, said member being in slidable relation with the bottom portion of said shoe and having a lower portion extending beneath said floating roof, and a tension spring positioned beneath said roof and extending between the lower end of lsaid member and said roof, the line of action of said spring passing through said shoe between the point where said shoe hanger is attached to the upper portion of the shoe and the point where said member slidably contacts the lower portion of said shoe, said spring exerting a force on said member and shoe hanger tending to move said roof and shoe away lfrom each other.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,082,194 Wiggins June 1, 1937 2,495,755 Orr et al. Jan. 31, 1950 2,587,508 Moyer et al Feb. 26, 1952 2,649,985 Moyer Aug. 25, 1953 

